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Sarah Unregistered guest | Does something like this exist? I am looking for something High-End. |
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New member Username: TevoChicago, IL USA Post Number: 6 Registered: Feb-05 | NAD seems to make a DVD/CD receiver: http://www.nadelectronics.com/av_receivers/L70_framset.htm Not sure if you consider NAD "high-end" but generally speaking, as you go high end, the trend is towards big dollar separates, not receivers. |
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Silver Member Username: VarneyBirminghamEngland, UK Post Number: 338 Registered: Sep-04 | Sarah, The reasons 'high-end' audio, as you put it, come so often in seperate components are many. For one, build quality and electronic performance are easier to maintain in a seperate unit for the manufacturer than an all in one/combi system. It has the advantage that you can spread the cost over a number areas of your stereo rather than a single lump outlay, but is by far not the only reason why seperates are associated with audiophile quality hi-fi. The main reason why you wouldn't want high-end to come in a package is linked to the engineering and electrical problems which come along with it. At the heart of any quality component is it's power supply - then comes internal seperation and damping between various mechanisms and electrical components. It is a key trait of high-end gear to have a seperate transformer arrangement for each unit. This is why the 'higher up' you go in quality and cost, the more boxes you will aquire. Eventually, you will be finding the humble CD player split into 2, maybe up to 4 seperate units to ensure proper electrical isolation fromn it's neighbour and mechanical dedication to the specific task. CD players with built in amplifiers come in all shapes and sizes. They are sometimes called low-end or mid-fi, commonly packaged as 'all in ones'. I'm afraid that even when a renowned specialist audio company starts to experiment with a convenience product, it is rarely up to the same standard, mechanically and sound wise as the standard seperates they also do. It will merely inherit the quality of engineering enjoyed by that manufacurer, but will normally sit somewhere at the bottom of their range as the 'baby', if you know what I mean. You can make worse decisions in life than to buy one of these, but I would recommend looking at the alternatives - you might be pleasantly surprised at what you get for your money with some good companies. NAD is a good example, as Tevo suggests. V |
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New member Username: PhiljPlymouth, Devon Post Number: 3 Registered: Feb-05 | i agree with varney, any combined package will be by its nature a compromise in sound performance as there are more components in one box to 'fuddle' the system sound. i recently heard a Linn one box cd player and amp through monitor audio speakers and was distinctly unimpressed with the sound. If you are looking for a system that looks as good as it sounds, i suggest still going the 2 box route and picking carefully. The musical fidelity X-ray kit is very cool (the second hand stuff is round and the new stuff is square half size boxes with blue neon control lights). Either of these should offer you the compromise between the sound and the look you want. hope this helps Phil |
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Sarah Unregistered guest | Wow, Thanks everyone! Your advice is very helpful. Thank goodness for this website! Sarah |
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Silver Member Username: VarneyBirminghamEngland, UK Post Number: 340 Registered: Sep-04 | Heh - that's what I said when I came here with a speaker mis-match problem! But in my opinion, seperates always look better than all in one systems because the build quality is usually better. If looks are important, you'll find keeping to one brand will offer a continuity of style and the further apart they are, the better they will look and the better they (are supposed to) sound. V |
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New member Username: VisiblehandsCalgary, Alberta, Canada Post Number: 4 Registered: Mar-05 | I have the Sony XA55ES which has a preamp in it. I use it as a remote volume control over my custom made tube amp that doesn't have a remote volume control. The player is a Japanese model and not available in North America. What a shame! It weighted 17kg and uses a fixed lens system. I can post a picture if anyone is interested. It is as good as a CD player can be. If you can find out for $800-1000USD, buy it! |